The present invention relates to a desoldering apparatus.
More particularly, the invention relates to an apparatus for desoldering electronic components from electrical circuit boards and the like. The purpose of devices of this type is to remove incorrectly soldered or defective electronic components so that they can be replaced. As a general rule, this type of equipment also is capable of installing--i.e. soldering in place--a new component.
In a known device of the type in question a soldering nozzle accommodated to the dimensions of the component to be desoldered supplies liquid solder to the underside of the circuit board. When all solder connections holding the components to the circuit board have been melted open, the component can be removed, for which purpose it is pulled upwardly out of the circuit board, either manually or by means of a suitable tool engaging its terminals or the like. Thereupon, an air nozzle is placed from above into the free space left by the removal of the component and by means of a slight overpressure the bores in the circuit board are blown free in downward direction, so that residual liquid solder is blown downwardly into the solder nozzle. The air nozzle has the inner dimensions as the solder nozzle and at the same time serves for positioning, because it agrees with the arrangement of the solder nozzle located beneath the circuit board.
To install a new component it is placed into the now free bores of the circuit board and is soldered to the conductors of the circuit board by means of a wave of liquid solder which is emitted from the solder nozzle.
A disadvantage of this known device is the fact that the circuit board often has components mounted on it in such very close relationship that there is no place for the air nozzle which is to be positioned. Further, if the dimensions of the electronic components to be removed change from one place to another on the circuit board, then both the air nozzle and the solder nozzle must also be exchanged because they are both closely accommodated to the dimensions of the electronic components to be removed. Finally, the time between the removal of the disengaged electronic components from the circuit board and the blowing-open of the bores in the circuit board by means of the air nozzle is relatively long, because the air nozzle cannot be put in place until after the removal of the desoldered electronic component. This relatively large time requirement is disadvantageous for a rapid working relationship, and in particular there is the danger that some of the liquid solder in the bores might already have set and can no longer be blown out of the bores by the air from the air nozzle.